


He's a Keeper

by Rei382



Series: RoyEd Month 2020 [6]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Blood, Blood Drinking, Depression, Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24160984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei382/pseuds/Rei382
Summary: Ed and Al go on an evening hunt. Neither of them expected things to go this far.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Series: RoyEd Month 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726801
Comments: 16
Kudos: 48
Collections: RoyEd month





	He's a Keeper

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dawnlightsilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawnlightsilhouette/gifts).



> Using a catch-up day to post my fic for day 8's prompt - Vampire

They entered the pub. Ed never really liked the smoky atmosphere of these places, or the loud music, or the strong stench of alcohol. He didn’t even like the patrons that visited such places. But it was the best spot to catch an easy meal, and so, he and Alphonse glanced around in search for the perfect prey.

Ed scanned the crowd one by one, knowing his brother was doing the exact same thing. His eyes passed over the men and women who were standing around or sitting at their tables or at the bar, chatting, flirting, drinking and smoking at the small establishment. They all looked so dull and uninteresting. Ed knew that all he had to do was get close to one that was standing alone, say the right words, and his meal for the night would be ready to be consumed. Of course, it had to be someone who would not be missed. Someone who looked like they would have no one looking for them. Someone like –

“That one,” Ed said, catching Al’s attention and gesturing at a man sitting alone at the bar. His cheeks were a little flushed, hinting that he had been drinking for a while. The seat to his right was unoccupied, and to his left sat a lady who was vibrantly talking to another man, and both were completely ignorant to the man’s presence near them. Clearly they were not there together, which meant that this man was completely alone. Judging by the unkempt shirt and his rather pathetic expression, Ed felt safe to assume that this man was exactly what he was looking for.

“That one?” Al asked, his voice sounding disdainful. “Doesn’t he look a bit, I don’t know, _old_?”

Ed looked at his brother. “Old?” he then turned his eyes back to the man. Surely, there was a little bit of salt and pepper situation going on in his black hair, but not enough to cause any alarm. While his face clearly was not the face of a young adult, it did not scream grandpa at Ed, and even more so when he calculated in that the man looked really tired. He looked more of a tired daddy situation. Ed let out short laugh and smirked. “You forget that I am 763 years old. This man does not look a day over 40. I’m going in.”

“That doesn’t count!” he heard Al calling after him as he left his side and walked, determined, towards the man at the bar.

Ed ignored him, dismissing his objection with a wave of his hand. He knew that Al probably had somewhat of a point. He remembered perfectly well the day he was turned; it was a week after his nineteenth birthday, and it was a cold February night. He had just come back home after a few days’ travel to find it a bloody murder scene. He was terrified, knowing that he’d left his little brother there, and entered the place slowly, expecting to see the worst. When he pushed the door open his heart skipped a beat and a scream left his throat as it seemed that his fear had materialized. Alphonse’s body was laying against the opposite wall, his face, hands and clothes stained with blood. He couldn’t remember anymore if it was just his panicking brain, or if his mind conjured it up afterwards, but in his memory, Al wasn’t breathing.

He remembered standing at the door stunned for a long moment. He felt how his entire world was falling beneath his feet, before he realized that Alphonse was not alone in the room. There were several bodies, equally or more bloody, scattered about the room, each looking like they went through a violent death. It was strange, baffling, even, and it made him examine Al’s body more carefully. It was then that he noticed that actually, out of all the bodies in the room, Al’s seemed to be the least hurt. He remembered walking towards him, slowly, carefully, but he couldn’t even get to the center of the room before Al was no longer leaning against the wall, but instead was standing behind him, holding on him in a way that made it impossible for Ed to turn or make any movement at all.

Ed crossed the bar and plopped himself into the empty seat to the man’s right, offering a smirk to the broken man before he called the bartender over and ordered a round of whiskey for them both.

He even remembered Al’s words that fateful day. “You’re gonna _love_ it, Brother.” Then he bit him, and everything changed.

*

He woke up with a throbbing headache and stinging pain in his throat, in a darkened room and a bed he was not familiar with, but feeling familiarly sated. Roy groaned softly and reached towards his neck, feeling the wounds. He was somewhat surprised to find the round holes there, as last night seemed to be too bizarre to be real.

He remembered hitting the bar after an especially bad day at work. Something went wrong in communication in his unit, and the frequencies were confused between two divisions, causing a horrible accident and two friendly-fire casualties. Not only did he have to handle the guilt and pain of knowing it was something he should’ve been supervising and, therefore, preventing, but he had a mountain of paperwork as a result, which kept him at the office until past midnight. Then he had to call the families and deliver the horrible news, and face the investigation, the results of which could be as bad as a demotion.

When the clock hit 1am he finally left the headquarters, but the thought of going back home and getting to bed was unbearable. He felt like he did not deserve luxuries such as a warm shower and comfortable bed. He knew he would not be able to sleep, anyway, and sitting at home drowning in his own sorrow wasn’t very appealing. Drowning himself in the bottom of a bottle somewhere busy and noisy, somewhere he could not succumb to the self-destructive urges he knew would come, sounded much more doable.

That’s how he found himself at the _Royal Spade_ bar, drinking himself to oblivion alone. At least, until a strange, yet incredibly handsome, young man sat next to him. Blond, with long hair that was held in a thick braid he ordered him a drink and hit on him in a very not subtle way.

Roy didn’t intend to pick up anyone, nor did he think he’d get picked up. He didn’t cooperate at first, but the man was very persistent, and there was something almost unnaturally alluring about him. Eventually, Roy remembered giving in to having a drink with him. Roy didn’t remember much from after that; only that some of the things the man said were incredibly strange. He remembered being drawn to him despite his state, or perhaps, _because_ of it, because the man reeked of trouble. It wasn’t only that he seemed to be way too young for him, barely legal, if he was of legal age at all. But there was something in his aura, in how chill his skin felt when he touched him, in his unnaturally golden eyes that screamed at Roy that he should run away while he still could.

But Roy was in no self-preservation mode last night, and the danger attracted him. If he were to get murdered that night, it would be the rightful ending for a man like him. The weight of his sins, present and past, sat on his shoulder like a heavy black cloud.

When the man (had he even said his name at any point during the night? He probably had, but Roy had no recollection of it) offered to take him home, Roy barely even hesitated.

Which explained the soreness of his muscles, and the feeling of the unfamiliar fabric of the messy bed sheets against his bare skin. The evidence that he’d spent the night doing more than just sleeping in the company of the man were all around him, with the only missing component being the man himself.

Roy groaned, scowling as his brain gave an especially painful throb. He moved his hand away from his throat and attempted to push himself to a sitting position. The blanket slid down his chest and exposed him to the chilly air of the room. He remembered that last night the man had made some rather ridiculous requests, being especially interested in biting him. In his drunken, depressed state Roy didn’t mind it, and let him act on his kink. He expected much worse fetishes from that man, considering the weird vibe he was giving off. The biting hurt in a different way than he expected, but with everything else, Roy barely noticed it.

Oh, well. Time to go, he figured. Considering he was left alone in the stranger’s house, he was probably expected to disappear before the man came back from wherever it was he went to. He had a feeling it was already around noon, even though he didn’t have anything to base that assumption on. The room had a single window, and the blinds were shut tight on it. The only light was coming from the slit between the slightly open door and the wall.

He looked around, searching for his clothes and finding it rather difficult. The room was messy, and being as dark as it was it was hard to distinguish his own clothes from everything else there. Resigning to his fate that he should get up and start feeling his way around, he started pushing himself towards the end of the bed. Before he reached far enough to risk putting his feet on the floor, the sound of two male voices reached his ears and made him stop.

_“So, did you kill him after?”_

Roy stared at the door, paralyzed. The speaker was talking about killing someone in the most calm way he’d ever heard. Not even that lunatic Kimblee talked so casually about murder. Where exactly did he manage to land himself at? Who did he spend the night with? And how was he going to alert the authorities without getting himself killed in the process?

_“Nuh. He’s still there. Sleeping. I forgot how drinking made humans oversleep all the time.”_

There was a pause. It might’ve taken a few seconds, it might’ve taken forever, Roy didn’t know. His mind was racing at the realization despite his hangover, despite having just woken up. It wasn’t just a random person the two men were talking about killing. It was _him_.

_“Are you going to? Maybe I can – “_

_“No, Al. I think… I think I might keep this one. It’s been a while since I had a pet.”_

Keep him? As a _pet_? What on earth was going on here? The panic inside him increased.

_“Yeah, it had. So what, I can’t share it?”_

_“No, this one’s mine, find your own pet! Wait – I think he’s up.”_

Roy stopped dead at that statement. He had just attempted to get off the bed to look for his clothes and get out of this place while he was still alive. But it seemed that the man had a very sharp hearing. Roy panicked. He was still naked. He didn’t have his gun on him, and his gloves were hidden somewhere in this unfamiliar room. His body still hurt, but physical fight was his only chance –

“Good morning, Roy. Hope the bed was comfortable enough for you.”

Roy’s heart skipped a beat and he looked up. The door was now wide open, and the man who picked him up at the bar last night was standing there. Now that he wasn’t intoxicated, he could see that at least the liquor did not lie about how handsome he was. His hair was now loose, falling in a golden waterfall that reached past his shoulders. His eyes were of unique honey color, and his body, clearly visible as he was dressed only in loose pajama pants, was well built. He was very clearly working out, although, he was probably doing it only at night, or indoors, since his skin was incredibly pale, even paler than Roy who spent the majority of his time confined in his office. The man looked somewhat amused, his lips stretched in a smile. Was he going to kill him now? Roy was ready – at least as ready as he could be.

“My brother and I are having coffee in the kitchen, if you’d like to join.”

Coffee? His _brother?_ The same man who’d just talked so casually about killing him - ? Did he want to drink coffee with him and then kill him? Just how twisted was he? Roy took a defensive stance. He knew he probably had no chance. Without any weapons, without his alchemy, without any clothes and with a major headache he was hardly fit for a fight. But he would be damned if he didn’t try.

The smile on the man’s face faltered, and he looked at him curiously. “I suppose you heard some of our conversation. Alright then,” he said, and left the doorframe, walking closer. He didn’t look intimidated by Roy. Not even one bit.

Roy could now see the other room of the house. It was bigger, and more lit – although it seemed that none of the windows were open there either, as the light was clearly artificial. He saw a small round table at the far end of it, and another man, looking incredibly similar to the one who was approaching him now, was sitting there and looking curiously at them.

Roy didn’t falter, determined to fight. “Who are you?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound intimidating. It was rather difficult when he was at such an obvious disadvantage. “What do you want from me?”

“I don’t know how much you remember from last night, but my name’s Ed,” he glanced around the room, then he seemed to have spotted what he was looking for as he walked confidently and picked something from the floor.

With a twitch of disgust and embarrassment, Roy recognized his own underwear. Ed lazily threw it towards him, and Roy, in lack of anything wiser to do, abandoned his defensive stance and took it. He glanced at the door, where the other man – Al, maybe? – was still sitting and staring curiously at the room. He walked towards the room corner and away from Al’s prying eyes before he started pulling his underwear on.

“There, you must be feeling better now – “

Roy straightened up with a start. He still felt exposed without his clothes on, but with his privates covered, he at least could try to make a run for it. He couldn’t even make a single step before Ed reached him at an unnatural speed. He placed his hand on Roy’s chest. It felt as cold as death on his skin and he realized just _how much_ paler he was than himself. Like a cold dead body. He was paralyzed in his spot even though Ed didn’t use any force. How did he cross the room so quickly?

“I wasn’t done talking.”

Ed’s voice wasn’t threatening, but it was clearly a threat. Roy had never before wished he had his gloves at hand so much.

As if mesmerized, Roy sunk down to sit on the bed again. This seemed to please Ed, as he grinned at him. Roy blinked, and reached up to his neck again. Was he – no, this made absolutely no sense… but there was no doubt. Ed’s canine teeth were especially long and pointy.

“Yeah, alright,” Ed said, looking at him like he was an especially thick child. “I bit you. My brother and I – we’re vampires. Don’t worry though, you won’t become one. At least, not as long as I don’t wish for it. Didn’t make you drink my blood, you see.”

Roy stared at him. Vampires? Those mythical immortal creatures feeding on human blood?

As if it wasn’t clear enough by now, he managed to land himself at the company of lunatic murderers.

“You’re crazy – “

“Am I?” Ed looked mere amused. “I love those human reactions. It always takes you so long to understand that we have no reason to lie. I can kill you in a second if I wanted to. Most of the time I do kill when I feed, but, I don’t know. You seem interesting. Plus you were really delicious,” Ed’s tongue darted out and passed over his lips.

Roy gulped, trying not to think about how last night he kissed those lips. He did recall, vaguely, the metallic taste of blood when he kissed him. He figured he might’ve injured him in the heat of the moment, but what if…

What if it was his own blood that he tasted?

His insides crawled.

“I want to keep you.” It was a simple statement. As if he was saying he wanted a cup of tea, rather than, what? Lock Roy up? Make him into his sex slave? Never ending snack? Just the thought made Roy feel sick. “Now,” the cold hand moved over Roy’s torso, gentle, like he was petting him. “Are you going to be a good pet and behave? Or will you force me to dispose of you?”

Roy looked at him. His eyes, this up close looking more unnatural gold than human honey, were fixated on him. He could feel the power radiating at him from every millimeter of Ed’s body. His canine teeth – or perhaps, _fangs_ – were still exposed. There was no doubt in Roy that he meant his threat, and could go through with it, too. He remembered the inhuman speed in which Ed crossed the room, the force with which he stopped him from taking even a single step. Roy’s skin prickled still at the cold touch of Ed’s hand.

What if he was telling the truth?

Roy thought about all the horrors he’d seen. All the destruction, all the death, most of which he was personally responsible for. Did he care if he died now? He was ready to give up his life merely twenty-four hours ago.

But what if… what if he could use this as an opportunity to make things better? His head was still throbbing in pain, it was hard to think; but his mind didn’t rest still. He could manipulate Ed, maybe even that brother of his, to work with him, to fix what was wrong with this country. He might be able to convince him to turn him, too. Then he won’t even need them anymore. With that strength, that speed, he could take out whoever he’d need. He could get to the top.

“Okay,” he said, and was no longer scared of the burning eyes staring right at him. “I can be yours.”

*

As the weeks and months passed by and Ed didn’t get tired of his pet, Alphonse got rapidly more irritated. He didn’t like Ed’s choice to begin with, but when he said he wasn’t going to use him as a meal and get rid of the body but actually keep him around Alphonse intended to do whatever he could to make sure he wouldn’t stay. Every time Ed brought him over Alphonse made sure to be as nasty as he could, going on a hunt to bring as many snacks as he could manage, and he was a hungry man. But the result was that Ed spent most of his nights at the pet’s home, effectively spending even less time with Alphonse, which is the exact opposite of what he intended to happen.

When he realized his brother wasn’t going to stay by his side if the pet refused to stay around Alphonse, he decided to go in a different direction, and check the suspicions he had about him since day one. He started following him whenever he could, trying to see him doing something to prove he was only using Ed. He thought he might be able to catch him with someone else, screwing behind Ed’s back. Finding out something like that was sure to bring the end to the whole pet deal. Ed might be the type to try to see good in everyone, a quality that landed him trouble more than once, as a mortal human and as a vampire. But finding out his pet was cheating on him was sure to make him get rid of the useless pet, hopefully violently.

But what Alphonse found out about eight months into that twisted relationship his brother was leading was much worse than the pet having another lover.

The pet was just using them. Using their powers, and to make Ed turn him so he can run off and get revenge on those responsible for some genocide or another. Alphonse couldn’t keep track on all the horrors the human kind had put itself through during the almost millennia he existed. He was going to ditch Ed once he got what he wanted, Alphonse was sure of it. And he knew that when that would happen, Ed would be heartbroken.

He had to get to him before Ed did anything irreversible. Eight months were not that long yet. Not compared to how long they’ve been roaming the earth together. If he didn’t turn him yet, Alphonse was sure he could get Ed to see the truth and kill him. He’d hurt, yes, for a while; but not as much as he’d hurt if he made the pet immortal. And Alphonse would be there to help him get over it. They could go hunting and spend the days talking in the darkened kitchen. Just like they used to before the pet showed up in their lives and messed up everything.

Feeling more elated than he did in eight months, Alphonse finished the night with an especially successful hunt. He walked into the apartment just before sunrise. He felt optimistic and satisfied. Well-fed and he was going to end the sick romance his brother was leading with the petty human pet, he knew that today was going to be a good day. Alphonse walked towards the kitchen and grabbed himself a glass of water before taking a seat at the coffee table. He knew Ed was probably out at the pet’s house, but he should be coming back soon.

At least this was still a constant in their lives. Ed might spend the nights with his pet, but he always returned home before the sun was up. Which meant, Alphonse thought as he looked through the slits in the window blinds, any moment now. Faint light was starting to penetrate the room. He drank his water, waiting, but he was getting nervous as each moment passed and the door did not open.

Had his brother taken a step further, and decided to spend the day, too, at the pet’s place?

The almost euphoria of a good hunt and of finally finding out information that was sure to get his brother back to his side ebbed away, leaving anger in its wake. He looked around nervously, knowing it won’t make Ed return home but unable to stop regardless. When the light penetrating through the blinds was no longer soft orange but bright white Alphonse swore and got up from his chair. The rage burned inside him and he pictured himself going to the pet’s house as soon as the sun sets again and tearing at his throat. He didn’t even want to feed on him; he’d probably give him a stomach ache… no… he would just rid the world – and his brother – of his toxic presence… Ed would be mad, yes… but he’d understand once Alphonse told him about what he’d found out…

The sound of a door opening, and then closing softly tore Alphonse away from his deadly thoughts. He stopped pacing about the room and looked up to see Ed walking away from the closed door of his room.

“Brother,” the word came out of Alphonse, surprising even himself at the relief his voice showed.

“Good morning, Al,” Ed said, and completed his journey to the coffee table. He sat down at the chair Alphonse had occupied until a moment ago.

Alphonse stared at him, studying him. There was definitely something different about him. “You were here?”

Ed’s eyebrows rose at the surprise in Alphonse’s tone. “Yeah. Roy and I stayed here tonight. Why, you were looking for me?”

The question was innocent enough, but Alphonse knew his brother well enough to know the light changes in his voice. He had a feeling that there was more to Ed’s words than he said; there was more he wanted to say, but held himself back, thinking Alphonse had something he wanted to say and letting him be first. Ed did that often, but this time Alphonse’s curiosity got the better of him. “Did something happen?”

“Actually, yes.” Ed’s lips stretched in the smile that had been struggling to show since Ed stepped out of the room. Alphonse felt his insides tighten in a knot. This couldn’t be good. “I turned Roy.”

The knot exploded, burning. All Alphonse could feel was uncontrollable rage. “You did _what_?!”

He didn’t even care that Ed looked hurt. He was going to be hurt much more in a moment’s time, though a part of him argued that it did not matter anymore. The petty human got what he wanted. His mind was swirling, raging, trying to figure out how to make him pay for using his brother like that.

“I made Roy a vampire, like us. So he can stay with me – “

“How dumb are you!?” He couldn’t control it. He hated this. He hated the stupid pet. He shouldn’t have let Ed keep him in the first place, he shouldn’t have let him do anything with him other than kill him – “you made him _immortal_?! Please, Brother, _please_ tell me you’re kidding – “

Ed got up from the chair. His face did not look surprised anymore, but he looked angry and hurt. “Why would I be kidding? Why shouldn’t I turn him? I wanted to do it.”

“He’s just using you!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“From day one! He was just using you – he wanted this since the moment you told him what we are – you’d think almost eight hundred years would’ve taught you not to trust humans – “

“So what if he wanted it? I know he did, you may think I’m stupid but you forget that I – “

“You know nothing!” Al walked towards him. He couldn’t contain his rage anymore. _Why_ did Ed refuse to listen? _Why_ did he refuse to understand? He could barely see right. Things were not going the way he planned. This was not supposed to happen – yet – _at all_ … he was late. He thought he had time, and he’d spent the night _hunting_ instead of _stopping his brother_ and now there was _nothing_ he could do to get that thing out of their lives so he can have his brother back. He was mad at himself, mad at Ed, mad at the pet…

Or maybe… Alphonse had a moment of clarity among the turmoil he was in. If he’d just turned him now, there was still time. As long as he hadn’t fed…

Alphnse turned his back on Ed and headed towards his bedroom. He knew what he would find there: Ed’s pet, probably infesting Ed’s bed, waiting for the effect of Ed’s blood to take place… He reached for the handle, ready to tear it open –

Ed’s hand, placed on his shoulder, forced him to stop. He groaned in anger and frustration. Ed was always the faster one, but Alphonse was the stronger one. He turned and tore Ed’s hand from him, but Ed just used his other hand to push him away from the door. Alphonse found himself pinned against the opposite wall, Ed’s hand wrapped around his neck, holding him in place.

“I don’t know what you have against him, Al, but I won’t let you hurt him.”

Alphonse could hear the anger in Ed’s voice. Even though he did not scream at him, did not hold him tight enough to do anything other than make him struggle if he wanted to escape his hold, the tension in his voice was as clear as the moon on a full moon night.

“I don’t mind that you get yourself pets,” Alphonse said, trying to keep his voice calm despite the storm inside him, despite the burning need to break through that door and take care of the problem. “But this disgusting human – “

“He has a name, Al.”

“I DON’T CARE!” There was no way in _hell_ Alphonse was going to call that loathsome thing by anything that even remotely made him more than what he was. A _parasite._ A useless flea he had to get away from his brother. “He planned this all along! Don’t you see? He doesn’t care about you! I found – I was looking and I found evidence that he just wanted to use you so he can get powerful, so he can – “

“Make a difference in this country,” Ed cut into Alphonse’s words. His voice was cold. “I know. He told me that when I first asked him if he would have liked me to turn him.”

Alphonse stopped his struggle and stared at his brother. Surely this wasn’t _his_ idea?...

Ed continued, half a smirk spreading on his lips. “He refused, by the way. For _months_. He said that he couldn’t trust himself that he won’t abuse that power. You don’t know a single thing about him, Al. You never bothered to try.”

“I don’t need to try,” Alphonse replied sharply. “I know all I need to know about that worm. The only reason he ever agreed to be your pet is because he wanted you to give him our power so he can kill his enemies. And guess what, Ed? Now that he has what he wants, and since you _used_ him for months, you’re his enemy too! And probably, so am I!”

Alphonse almost regretted taking his argument this far when he saw the way his brother’s features twisting. The smirk, toxic as it was, disappeared. He knew he’d hurt him, he knew his brother was now in pain, but he also knew it was the right thing to do. Hurt him now, so he’d see the wrong in his doing, and stay alive. At least, as alive as a vampire could be.

For a moment, they were both silent. Alphonse didn’t resume his struggle, waiting for what he’d said to sink in his brother’s brain. He knew that once it did, he’d let him go. If he wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done, Alphonse could handle that on his own. He was the stronger one, after all. And besides, finally getting rid of the pet would be so satisfying.

Eventually Ed broke the silence. “Like I said, Al,” he said, his voice was quiet, almost calm. “I know all this. He told me himself. He said it started like that, but now…”

It finally dawned on Alphonse. He wasn’t saying anything that was new to Ed. His brother seemed to be so far gone there would be nothing Alphonse could say to change his mind. He looked at him carefully, and realized that Ed truly believed the human. He knew his brother was a little on the naïve side, but he didn’t think he was stupid. He still didn’t think so; just that this pet somehow managed to rob him of his bright mind.

Ed shook his head. “He loves me, Al. He said that when he’s with me, he doesn’t think about all the crap he’d been through all that much. He said that when we’re together, he doesn’t want revenge all that much anymore. He doesn’t care how it started, neither of us is in that place anymore. When I asked him about it again today, he said that the only reason he’d let me turn him now was so that we’d stay together. And I…” Ed paused. Alphonse could see that this was becoming difficult for him. He could see the strain in his features, in the way he pressed his mouth thin, the way his eyebrows were brought together. “I don’t want to see him growing old and dying on me.”

“You fell in love with him.”

Ed finally let him go. Alphonse felt the pain in his throat where Ed held him slowly fade away. “So what if I did?” Ed shot back at him, his voice full of defiance. “Are you still going to kill him? Because then you might just as well kill me too.”

Ed’s words hit Alphonse like daggers. It was one thing to think it. One thing to consider it a possibility. But having his suspicion confirmed directly from Ed’s mouth in such clarity, such intensity, was another thing, and it created a whole new surge of emotion inside Alphonse. A part of him still wanted the pet dead. He didn’t want to let anyone steal his brother away from him. Not after they spent 800 years together. Supporting each other, hunting together, living together. They were apart only for short periods of time, especially considering how long they’d existed. He knew that having the pet around didn’t mean Ed would leave him; but it did mean he’d spend much less time with him, and that thought was almost unbearable.

But on the other hand…

He looked at Ed. He looked tired, strained. He knew that his brother didn’t enjoy this fight, didn’t want it, and he felt sorry for bringing his brother such sorrow. It made him realize how different Ed had been for the past several months since the human got into his life. He seemed _happier_.

What kind of a brother would Alphonse be if he didn’t let his brother be happy just because he was… jealous?

“Nothing,” he replied eventually, bowing his head a little as he took one step away from the wall. He felt Ed tensing in front of him, ready to strike again if Alphonse made any moves towards his bedroom; but he didn’t. Instead, he smiled softly, sadly, and looked up at his brother. “I just hope I’m wrong about that…” he searched his brain, knowing the information was stored there, somewhere. “Roy person.”

He waited as Ed watched him, an expression of disbelief on his face. “Does that mean you accept him?” Ed finally asked.

Alphonse could see that he was forcing himself not to get excited; could tell by the way the corner of Ed’s mouth was twitching, as if itching to smile; could tell by the spark in his eyes.

“Yes,” he said, and hoped with all his might that it wasn’t a mistake.

Ed’s posture relaxed. Alphonse could see the grin that was finally free to spread on his lips. “Thank you,” Ed said softly. He reached towards Alphonse again, but this time not to restrain him, but to hug him. He held him for a short moment before letting him go. “You know that it doesn’t mean I’m going to leave you, right? You’re still my brother. I still love you more than I can ever love Roy.”

Alphonse frowned, pretending to be hurt by that, even though inside him he felt warmth so different than the burn that was there earlier. “I know that! I wasn’t jealous!” Even he didn’t think his own words sounded convincing.

Ed simply laughed at that. He then turned and walked over to the coffee table. He lifted the chair that was still on the floor, thrown away and forgotten when he got up and sped to stop Alphonse from harming his boyfriend. He placed it back next to the table and sat down on it, gesturing at the other one as an invitation for Alphonse. “Of course you weren’t,” he said with a knowing smile.

A faint noise coming from Ed’s closed room caught both of their attention. Alphonse sensed how his brother tensed a little, as if he expected Alphonse to change his mind again at the reminder of Roy’s existence in their apartment.

It wasn’t easy letting go of his hatred, but Alphonse was going to do his best. For his brother. “Go,” he said. He watched as Ed gave him a careful look, but then got up from the chair and walked towards the bedroom door. Alphonse took his now vacant seat, waiting.

Ed had left the door open slightly. He felt bad for doing so, but Alphonse couldn’t help but overhear them talking.

“How are you feeling?” Ed’s voice asked gently.

Alphonse heard Ed’s bed creaking a little bit. He imagined that Ed had joined Roy on it, or sat down next to him. He tried to keep the monster inside him at bay, reminding himself that the pet – _Roy_ – was making his brother happy. He reminded himself of the look in Ed’s eyes when Alphonse was about to go and end his miserable existence. The look of relief when Alphonse said he wouldn’t.

“I’ve been better,” Roy replied. Alphonse recognized the signs in his voice; the hoarseness that indicated he needed to feed, the strain of something unfamiliar, almost uncontrollable. “Did you tell him? How did he take it?”

Alphonse had no doubt that Roy was asking about him. He felt a twinge in his stomach when he realized how much his reaction must have worried Ed if the pet’s – _Roy’s_ , he corrected himself angrily – first question was about him. He felt bad for having caused Ed so much distress over the past eight months, and knew he should make it up to him. He looked up at the slightly opened room, seeing nothing but the edge of Ed’s wardrobe yet somehow he had a clear image of the situation in the room. He should make it up to them both.

There was a short pause. Was Ed going to tell Roy the truth? From his tone it was evident that Roy didn’t hear the argument between Ed and Alphonse just a few minutes ago. If Ed would tell him, would he attack Alphonse?

He wouldn’t blame him if he did, but he hoped it wouldn't get there.

“How about you ask him yourself?”

Alphonse was surprised to hear these words, and found himself staring at the door as it was pushed open, revealing Ed’s room in its wake. He saw that he was right in assuming that Ed sat on the bed; he was supporting his weight on it with one hand, his body partially leaning towards Roy who was lying at the center of it. Alphonse recognized the changes of turning. His skin looked much lighter, now paler than Ed’s. He was almost as white as the walls behind him. It was stressed even more by the red that surrounded his lips, leftovers of the blood he’d drunk.

Alphonse swallowed, still very much aware of the knot in his stomach. Accepting Roy didn’t completely ease his jealousy; he knew that would still take a while. But he was determined to do his best to suppress it. He forced a smile on his lips and got up from the chair, walking over to join Ed and Roy in the room. He paused at the entrance, leaning on the door frame.

“Hello, Roy,” he said. A quick glance about the room showed him the seemingly dead body at the foot of the bed, clearly drained of blood. He looked up again, realizing that the blood on Roy’s lips wasn’t his brother’s, as he’d originally thought. Roy had fed already, which meant there was no turning back. He was a full vampire now. Alphonse was late anyway. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t change what Ed had done. “Welcome to our family.”


End file.
